1. Field
This disclosure relates to brachytherapy devices for treating cancerous tissue surrounding a cavity of a body with radiation.
2. Description of Related Art
Brachytherapy devices may include a set of tubes. Examples are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/737,028, entitled “Expandable Brachytherapy Device with Constant Radiation Source Spacing,” filed Apr. 18, 2007, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/379,739, entitled “Brachytherapy Apparatus for Asymmetrical Cavities,” filed April 21, 2006, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/305,437, entitled “Brachytherapy Apparatus,” filed Dec. 16, 2005, (hereinafter collectively “Prior Brachytherapy Patent Applications”). The entire content of all three of these applications is incorporated herein by reference.
The tubes may be inserted into the cavity of a body through an opening on the surface of the body, such as through an incision or a natural opening. The tubes within the cavity may be expanded. Radioactive material may be inserted within an interior channel in one or more of the tubes and allowed to remain for a prescribed period of time.
The tubes may have external ends that are bundled together. A device known as an afterloader may be coupled to the external ends of the tubes and used to insert radioactive material into one or more of the tubes. Radioactive material may instead be inserted manually.
The external ends of the tubes may be near the opening in the surface of the body, such as protruding slightly beyond the opening. The external ends of the tubes may not be coupled to the afterloader or otherwise accessed for several hours or even days after the tubes are inserted within the cavity. During this period, fluid, such as seroma, may seep from the cavity through spacing between or surrounding the tubes towards the external ends of the tubes. This fluid may enter the interior channels of the tubes and solidify. This may impede the insertion of radioactive material into the interior channels of the tubes and/or its removal.